Rahul Gandhi, in turn, thanked all the leaders for reposing faith in him and said he would apply his mind on their request of becoming the Congress president, the sources said.
The Union home ministry is conducting an audit of controversial phone-tapping equipment, which was allegedly used during former Army Chief Gen V K Singh's tenure for snooping on senior defence ministry officials at the peak of the row over his age.
Notwithstanding reduction in tensions along the Line of Control, the defence ministry has emphasised that relations with Pakistan should not be normalised in a haste.
"It is seen that there are countries from where terrorists are free to launch their operations against other countries. This cannot be tolerated as the world is paying a heavy price for such mindless policies," Antony said in Jakarta.
The squadron, named INAS 303 Black Panthers, will be commissioned on May 11 by the Defence Minister at INS Hansa Naval base in the state, Indian Navy PRO said.
Recalling his long association with the CWC, the highest decision making body of the party, Mukherjee thanked the party for all the cooperation and for nominating him for the president's post, sources said.
More than a year after its constitution, a Group of Ministers that examined reports of the prime minister-appointed High Level Committee on alleged Commonwealth Games related irregularities, is in the process of finalising its findings. The GoM, under the leadership of Defence Minister A K Antony, was constituted on August 2 last year and asked to submit its report within three months.
India on Wednesday said tensions on the LoC have 'reduced' after talks between the two DGMOs but there will be no hasty decisions for normalising relations with Pakistan as it is 'too early' to do so.
The Congress Working Committee anointed Rahul Gandhi as party vice-president at the party's Chintan Shivir in Jaipur on Saturday. He is now the official number two in the Congress, paving the way for his projection as the party's prime ministerial candidate in the run up to the 2014 general elections.
Pakistan has climbed down from its demand for a United Nations probe into killing of Indian soldiers on the Line of Control last week and the tension has eased since the talks between top military officials of the two sides.
Senior Congress leader A K Antony, assisted by All India Congress Committee general secretary and former Union minister Mukul Wasnik mket party leaders from Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and held meetings daily and interacted with leaders individually
Expressing grave concern over the ceasefire violation and firing from the Pakistani side, Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday assured that enough troops have been deployed at the Line of Control and the government is taking all steps to protect the nation's interests.
Expressing grave concern over the ceasefire violation and firing from the Pakistani side, Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday assured that enough troops have been deployed at the Line of Control and the government is taking all steps to protect the nation's interests.
Against the backdrop of the death of the Delhi gang-rape victim, the Union defence ministry and the three armed forces have decided against holding new year parties.
Addressing the Congress Working Committee meeting, she said thousands of young men and women, especially students have realised the "grave harm" that implementation of the new citizenship law will cause.
Against the backdrop of recent suicides and fratricides by jawans and stand-offs between them and officers, Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday asked the armed forces to adopt a liberal approach to jawans' pleas for leave and respond promptly.
Key United Progressive Alliance ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Tuesday demanded that the Centre should immediately scrap the training programme for Sri Lankan army personnel in the country, arguing that such exercises create doubts in the minds of people of Tamil Nadu about the government's intentions.
Defence ministers of India and China on Tuesday began their delegation-level talks, during which the two sides are expected to take a decision on resuming military exercises stalled since 2010. During the talks with Defence Minister A K Antony, General Liang Guanglie, who is the first Chinese defence minister to visit India in eight years, is expected to address New Delhi's concerns over Chinese military infrastructure build-up along the border.
Defence ministers of India and China will hold talks in New Delhi on Tuesday during which they are expected to take a decision on resuming the military exercises of their Armies stalled since 2010.
About 12,364 acres of defence land is under encroachment and the defence ministry has issued detailed instructions for ensuring vigilance, detection and prevention of such cases, the government said on Monday.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said "somebody has taken money" in the controversial AgustaWestland helicopter deal and no mercy would be shown to those involved. He also said that CBI is "vigorously" pursuing the matter.
The government on Wednesday said it is keeping a close watch on all activities taking place in China and Pakistan and the threat perception originating from such incidents are reviewed regularly.
Reinforcing Defence Minister A K Antony's virtual no 2 slot in the United Progressive Alliance II government's pecking order, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is understood to have issued a communication that the former will chair union cabinet meetings, if required, during his visit to Iran.
Taking note of the "complex security matrix" in the Indian Ocean region and "political developments", Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday asked the Indian Navy to maintain high levels of preparedness in the area.
A victory in Karnataka could signal to Congress allies that it is not fully out of the reckoning, reports Renu Mittal
The Indian Military is facing a shortage of around 13,000 officers and 53,700 personnel below officer rank with the army accounting for bulk of vacancies, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Monday.
Fifty-four defence personnel, including a BHorder Security Force trooper, missing since the 1965 and 1971 wars are believed to be in the custody of Pakistan, Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said.
The sensors are operational with radar stations fitted at Tarapur, Korlai, Tolkeshwar and Devgad as part of the chain of static sensors project by the Coast Guard.
China on Thursday said it is verifying Indian Defence Minister A K Antony's allegations that the Chinese helicopters violated Indian airspace twice last month and reiterated its stand to resolve the border dispute with India through negotiations.
The government is aware of the Chinese activities along the borders and has taken necessary steps to secure the desired national security objectives, the defence ministry told the Lok Sabha.
The attack on an Indian Army patrol in January, in which one soldier was beheaded, was carried out by Special Services Group of Pakistan Army, Defence Minister A K Antony told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Union Defence Minister A K Antony recently told the Lok Sabha that steps had been taken to strengthen the security of the network at the Eastern Naval Command at Vishakapatanam in the wake of intelligence inputs regarding possible hacking.
Dismissing a media report on "non-notified" troop movement by army, the government has informed Rajya Sabha that the exercise was undertaken for training purpose aimed at refining mobilisation drills and preparedness of the force.
Antony told the Lok Sabha that in the recent past it has come to the notice of India that Pakistani elements planted mines on November 24-26, 2012 in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.
Fake Indian currency notes are being used by Pakistan-based terror groups for financing their activities in India, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
Five cases of spying by Pakistani intelligence agencies have been registered in last three years and a total 12 people, including eight service personnel, were arrested in this regard, government told Lok Sabha on Monday.
Nearly 4,000 soldiers have been killed in the country after the Kargil operations in 1999 while more than 390 Army troops have committed suicide in the last three years, Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
The central government is pursuing the allegations of bribery in a deal to procure VVIP helicopters from Augusta Westland, but no formal inquiry has been ordered into the case due to lack of "specific information" so far, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Monday.
The payments to AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 choppers have been stopped but so far no decision has been take to blacklist the firm, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
"Within a few months we are going to change the defence procurement procedure again," Defence Minister A K Antony told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.
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